Egg handling apparatus



June 24, 1958 R. c. MoRRls EGG HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 27, 1955 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIJ 7 INVENTO R. ROBERT C.MORR|S June 24,1958R. c. MORRIS 2,840,415

EGG HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 27, 1955 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @-14 f@sa 3f I@ l l I c@ v c@ j 29 LUG-7 l 36 37 a m04 FIGS.

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United States Patent EGG HANDLING APPARATUS Robert C. Morris, Trappe,Md., assignor to American Hatchery Engineers, Inc., Easton, Md., acorporation of Maryland Application September 27,1955, Serial No.536,934 4 Claims. (Cl. 294-65) The presentinvention relates to an egghandling apparatus and more particularly to a vacuum-actuated device forpicking up and depositing eggs.

Therpresent invention has particular utility in devices for transferringeggs from packing crates to cartons, incubator trays, or other egghandling equipment. The conventional egg crates consist of two sections,each receiving sixy rows of eggs containing six eggs each. Other cratesare on the market which receive live rows of eggs of six eggs each.Still other crates whichl are coming into use consist of two sections,each V.receiving eight rows of eggs of six eggs each. The presentinvention contemplates a device which is capable of engaging all of theeggs in each section of the various crates currently employed in theindustry.

The device of the present invention is light in weight and susceptibleof single hand operation, to pick upa 2,840,415 Patented June 24, 1958Referring now to the drawings, the egg pickup device comprises iirst andsecond spaced plates 10 and 11 respectively. Preferably, the plates areYcomposed of transparent plastic so that the cleanliness thereof may bereadily ascertained, but any suitable lightweight rigid material may beemployed. Y

The first and second plates 10 and 11 are held in spaced parallelrelation by asealing member 12 Vextending continuously about theperiphery of the plates. The plates and the walls of the sealing stripdefine a vacuum chamber -13 therebetween. The sealing strip 12 is comicepressed between the plates 10 and 11 by a plurality of section of eggsby suction .or vacuum. Although vacuum A pickup devicesfor eggs havebeen proposed prior to the present invention, none has been successfulbecause of the excessive weight, or of the construction which makescleaning very difficult. In eggV handling apparatus, it is imperativethat the device be readily cleaned since it frequently Vloccurs. that acracked egg is in the crate. When the suction device engages a crackedegg,Y it is likely to draw the albumen from the' egg into the suctionsystem. When the albumen is exposed to air, it solidies and forms acrust which impairs the operation of the suction system. When thisoccurs, weak suction'resjllts andv the pickup device isL likely to failto retain the eggs'during transfer from the crate to other locations. p

With the foregoing in mind, a primary obCt of theA present inventionisto provide an improved vacuum pickup device whichk is capable of singlehand operation.y Q f Another object of the present invention is toprovide a device which is light in weight, yet which is suficiently.durable to resist failure in normal operation.

Still another object of' the present invention is to pro,- Vid'ea devicewhich is of simple manufacture, and is readily disassembled forcleaning.

These and other objects of the present invention and the variousfeatures and details of the Yconstruction and operation thereof are morefully set forth hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings`in which:

taken. on the line 317-3, of

Eig; 6 isfa sectional view .taken .on the.line^6.-6riiofv Fig. showing acupY engaging a Small egg; and

Fig, Tis, 'atv view similar` to- Fig.' 5V showinga cup; er1-fV gaging anenlarged: egg.

bolts or screws 14 located at spaced intervals around the periphery ofthe plate 10 and engaging threaded ferrules 15 mounted in the plate 11.The bolts and ferrules effect aV clamping engagement of the plates 10and 11 upon the sealing member'lZ to insure a fluid-tight compartment13. To provide further structural rigidity, structural spaces 16, 16 aremounted intermediate the plates ldand 11 centrally thereof. If desired,the spacer elements 16 maybe composed of material similar to Vthesealing member 1 2 in order to insure equal compression of the members16 and the member 12. i v

Means is provided to evacuate the chamber 13. To this end, the plate 10is provided with a central'aperture 20 having mounted therein avalveassembly 21. As shown in Figs. 3V and 4, the valve assembly 211 isopen at one end through the apertures 20, to the chamber 13, and` isconnected at the other end to a conduit 22 leading to a sourceofvacuum.- The assembly comprisesl acylinder 23` having therein a piston24 biased upwardly by a spring 25 to maintain fluid communicationbetween the conduit 212 and the chamber 1,3 through a groove in thepiston 24, as indicated at 26V which communicates with a hollow bore 27in thek valve element byv means of an aperture 2'8. The .valveisactuated4 `by a button, operator 2,9.` When the button operator- 29 isin the: upperposition (shown infFigs. 3 and 4) 'the groove 26 is inregistry with the conduit 22 to the source of vacuum.l When the valvepiston 24 is displaced downwardlyr by pressing ony the button 29, thegroove 26 passes into registry with an inlet port 3 0 (see Fig. 4) whichreleases the vacuum inthe chamber 13. As shown in Fig. 4,v the inletport 30 isprovided with a suitable filter 31` to. guard against theinjection of dirt or other foreign mate-r rial intoy the chamber 13through the port 30.- s

To provide single hand operation of the device, a handle 32 is mountedon the plate 10 adjacent the valve casing 21. ,In the present instance,the handle-32 embraces the upperl portion of the valve assembly, andextends rearwardly to rthema-rginal edge of the plate 10, but-it is,-within-thevscope of the invention to mount the handleat both ends.directlyonthe plate 10 alongsideor in closely spaced relation to thevalve assembly 21.

The bottom plate 11 mounts a plurality of egg-engaging suction cups 35.As shown inFig.V 2,y the cups lare dis.- posed in rows of equal number,in the present instance-, six. The mounting of1 the cups affords readyassemblyand disassemblygfor cleaning. To this end, the bottom plate 11isformcd with a plurality of threaded apertures. y 36. whichthreadablyreceive a plug 37 of the cup 35'.'

' ciently small to impede passage of albumen and thelike therethrough.Vk i The body of the cup V3:5 is formed by a flexible sheathvr 40 havinga plurality; irr the present Ainstance four, ac-f cordionwpleatsfl-"hevsheatli- 40 is anchored" to the `block a or. plug 3.7 by asuitable adhesive and `'by engagement 'ofJ accordionr pleat. The plug-37 is `readily disengageable from the plate 11 by reason of the threadedengagement thereoffwith thei'threadedtaper'ture. Thus, when the bore of-a'plug becomes clogged,"or otherwise ineffective, thedefective `suction`cupi-'assembly -35 may be threaded abtapered; boss on ithe 'plugm31,.within the uppermost from fthe t aperture: 3t5- and"csleanedindividually. As

pointed out, above, if albumen or' other foreign t material should bedrawn into the suction chamber 13,the plates 11 and 10 may be disengagedfor cleaning by releasing the bolts and Aferrules14 and 15. To preventloss of the sealing element 12,` the'element is preferably cemented toone Vof the plates 10.and 11.V Thus, the pickup device of the'presentinvention may be readily disassembled for cleaning-or repair. y A

44In accordance with the present invention, means is provided to adaptthe `device to pick up different numbers of eggs.V In the presentinstance; the bottom plate 11 and the top plate are fabricated `intwosections, main sections 11aand 10a respectively, Vandlminor sections11b and 10b respectively. The plates 10a and 11a form therebetween amain chamber 13a and the plates 10b and llbform therebetween agminorchamber 13b;V A valve 50 alfordsi fluid communication between thechambers 13a and` 13b in one.position, and isolates the chambers in asecond position.

y In the illustrated form of the invention, the minor section ishingedly connected to the major section, the valve 50 being-formed`integrally with the hinge. VTo this end, a' hollow tubular member 51 ismounted on the minor section 10b of the plate 10, for example asindicated at 52, 52 having its bore in, uid communication with theychamber 13b, as shown in Fig. 3. i .The central portion of thetubularmember 51 overlies the dividing line between themernbers` 10a`and 10bfinparallelisrn there` with, and` is received in an :elongatedtubular collar 53 for rotation therein. Thegtubular member-51 and thecollar 53 arefprovided with al pair of registering apertures indicatedat 54 and 55 respectively which register when the major* and minor;sections are in the full line position shown'in Figs. 1` and 3; .Theapertures 55 com- 7 and 1s.

municate with the major chamber 13a `through tubular conduits 56 mountedon the plate 10a as vindicated at 57. f To provide furtherstructuralrigidity for the unit when in the full line position, a slide58 is mounted at each side of the unit on vthe plate 10a for slidingmovement into engagement with a keeper 59 on the plate 10b. When theslides 58, 58 are in the fullline position shown *in Fig. 1, the minorsections l10bland 11b are retained in alignment with the maior sections10a and 11a as shown in Fig. 3. In this position, the chambers 13a and13b are in lluid communication, and suction is applied to all of thecups 35 when the operator 29 is inthe upper limit position. `Displacingthe operator 29 to the lower limit position connects the 'chambers 13aand 13b with atmosphere through the port 30 thereby releasing suctionfrom the cups 35. "3

t When using only the major portion of the pickup device, ther minorportion is `pivoted into overlying relationship to the major portion, asindicated in broken lines in Fig. 3. Pivotal movement is` effected byreleasing the slides 58 to their right hand limit position therebydisengaging` the keepers 59, and swinging the tubular element 51 withinthe collar 53. Swinging movement of the tubular element 51.Y causes 'theapertures 54 andkSS,

to pass outV ofregistry and closes lcommunicationbeber 13b is opened tothe annospherethrough thetubular member, 51, Vthe port54, andthe port61. r

illustrated embodiments of, the ,invention arejpar-f` tiacylarlyadaptedto uses, whererst a given number; for

example, thirty-six eggs is desired to be picked up, than a lessernumber, for example thirty eggs is desired to be picked up, andespecially in installations where the side walls of the containers areclosely adjacent the eggs. Where there is ample clearance between theside Walls and the eggs, the minor sections 11b and 10b of the plates 11and 10 may be formed integrally with the major sections 11a and 10a. Inthis instance, a simple tubular connection is made between the chambers13a and 13b, and a two-position valve similar to the valve is connectedin the tubular connection to selectively connect the chamber 13b withthe chamber 13a and atmosphere. In this modification of the invention,it is also possible to pick up a full complement of eggs with the cupsconnected to the chambers 13a and 13b, and then release first the eggsengaged by the cups connected with the chamber 13b, and then thereafterthe eggs engaged in the cups communicating directly with the charnber13a. This modification has particular application to transferring eggsfrom crates to incubator trays which receive a`less`er'number'of rows ofeggs than there are rows in the crate. i

`In installations where only a given number of eggs is to be picked upfor a prolonged period of time, and then a different number of eggs fora similar period of time, it is contemplated that the major and minorsections be formed integrally and with the major and minor chambers 13aand 13b in open communication. When handling the given number of eggs, abottom plate i11 having the given number of cups mounted therein isused, and when handling a different number, the plate 11 is removed anda second plate is substituted which has the dilerentnumber of cupsmounted therein. The present invention` provides for ready change-overby reason of the construction consisting of spaced plates separated by asealing member and clamped together by releasable means, such forexample as the bolts and ferrules 14 While Vcertain embodiments ofthepresent invention have been disclosed herein, it is not intended tolimit the invention to such disclosure, but changes and moditicationsmay be made therein and thereto within `the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

l l. In an egg pickup device, a first pair of at spaced parallel platesections and sealing walls disposed intermediate said plates about theperiphery thereof and defining a main chamber therebetween, meansdefining an aperture opening into said main chamber, valve meansconnecting said aperture selectively to a source of vacuum and theatmosphere, a plurality of suction cup elements Y mounted in uidcommunication with said main chamber,

a second pair of spaced parallel plate sections normally coplanar withsaid first plate sections and sealing walls disposed intermediate said'plates about the periphery thereof and dening a-minor chamber, aplurality of suction cup elements mounted in fluid communication withsaid minor chamber, hinge means interconnecting said first and secondpairs of plate sections operable in one position to dispose said secondpair of plate sections in its normal coplanar position with said firstpair of plate sections and operable in a second position to dispose saidsecond pair of plate sections in overlying relationship to said rst pairof plate sections, and valve means open- Vmg fluid communication betweensaid main and minor chambers when said hinge is in its rst position,and` l, closing fluid communication between said'main and minor hingebeing a collar slidably" embracing` said` tubular.-

chambers when said hinge'is in its second4 position, said valve means.being formed integrally with said hinge one element of said hinge beinga hollow tubular member open to said minor chamber a second element ofsaid member, an aperture in said collar opening into said main chamberand an aperture in said tubular member when in the first position ofsaid hinge registering with said 5 collar aperture, and when in thesecond position of said hinge, being out of registry with said collaraperture.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said collar comprises meansdefining a second aperture opening to the atmosphere and positioned inregistry with said aperture in the tubular element in the secondposition of said hinge.

3. In an egg pickup device, a irst flat plate, a second fiat platecoextensive with said tirst plate disposed in spaced parallel relationthereto, a sealing member mounted on one of said first and second platesabout the periphery thereof, spaced inwardly of the outer edge thereof,and disposed intermediate said tirst and second plates in sealingengagement with the other of said irst and second plates to define achamber therebetween, means defining an aperture opening into saidchamber, means engaged with said first and second plates to compresssaid sealing member therebetween, a handle mounted on said first plate,means connecting said aperture to a source of vacuum, a plurality ofsuction cup elements mounted in said second plate, each comprising aresilient cup and a hollow shaft mounting said cup and opening at oneend to the interior of said cup and at the other end to the interior ofthe chamber defined by said rst and second plates, means dividing saidchamber into main and minor 6 chambers, said chambers normally disposedcoplanar in side by side relation, auxiliary valve means intermediatesaid main `and minor chambers, means to operate saidv second plates areprovided with mutually registering aper-v tures about the peripheryoutwardly of said sealing member, and wherein further said clampingmeans comprises bolt means passing through said apertures and engagingsaid plates.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,741,021 Hitchcock Dec. 24, 1929 1,800,385 Y Hayes April 14, 19312,658,789 Tellier Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 713,770 Great BritainAug. 18, 1954

